Metro Vancouverites Ponder Regulations for Ride-Hailing

Most residents support having a cap on the number of drivers, as well as a Class 4 license requirement.

Vancouver, BC [November 26, 2018] – Most residents of Metro Vancouver believe people who want to operate a ride-hailing service should hold a driver’s license that requires more training, a medical exam and security checks, a new Research Co. poll has found.

In the online survey of a representative sample of Metro Vancouverites, 57% say they are in favour of only allowing drivers with a commercial (or Class 4) license to operate a ride-hailing service.

Two thirds of Metro Vancouverites (66%) want the provincial government to cap the number of ride-hailing drivers to reduce traffic congestion.

In contrast, one-in-four (23%) think the provincial government should have no restrictions on the number of ride-hailing drivers, even if this creates traffic congestion.

Earlier this month, the Government of British Columbia announced that ride-hailing services will be allowed to operate in the province by the Fall of 2019.

Almost half of Metro Vancouverites (49%) believe this is a reasonable timeline, because it takes time to review the effect of ride-hailing on existing transportation options.

Two-in-five Metro Vancouverites (42%) believe this is not a reasonable timeline and think ride-hailing should be allowed in the province earlier than the Fall of 2019.

“Women (55%), residents aged 55+ (53%) and voters who supported the BC New Democratic Party (NDP) in the last election (59%) are more likely to think the government’s ride-hailing timeline is reasonable,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co. “Men (47%), residents aged 18-to-34 (also 47%) and voters who supported the BC Liberals in the last election (52%) are more likely to say the timeline is not reasonable”.

Methodology:

Results are based on an online study conducted from November 24 to November 25, 2018, among 700 adults in Metro Vancouver. The data has been statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender and region in Metro Vancouver. The margin of error— which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.7 percentage points, nineteen times out of twenty.